Re: Brakes

Posted by BH On 2010/2/18 23:37:07

JP -

What Owen describes is a self-energizing drum brake. However, do not confuse that with self-adjusting brakes. Your Packard is equipped with drum brakes that are self-energizing (in forward motion), but they have to be manually adjusted, periodically.

Not sure how they do it abroad, but here in the states, brake shoes/linings are not sold not individually, but in sets, per axle - that is, enough to service a pair of wheels on the same axle. Be sure to follow Owen's orientation of shorter and longer lining.

I've seen where installing return springs incorrectly has caused problems with brakes locking up, though.

I have been sent, however, brake lining kits for my 55-56 Senior Packards that included return springs which were NOT colored as original (yellow and orange), but was told the lighter color spring was for the primary (leading) shoe and the darker, for the secondary (trailing) shoe.

The 55-56 Clippers, however, used same return spring for primary and secondary - colored blue, IIRC.